Novak Djokovic believes the tennis season will restart with a series of regional tournaments because of the complexities of easing coronavirus restrictions worldwide that would allow players to travel.
The ATP and WTA
Tours were suspended last month and will not resume until mid-July at the
earliest following the postponement of Roland Garros and the cancellation of
Wimbledon.
“I think there will
be more regional prize money tournaments. I think this is what’s going to
happen very soon,” Djokovic said on Tuesday during an Instagram live chat with
Fabio Fognini.
“I don’t know what’s
going to happen with quarantine. Spain, Italy, and all the other countries in
the world will probably have different models (to come out of it).”
“It will be
difficult to start the tour because our tour is every week in different
countries,” he added.
“So I think there
will be regional prize money tournaments, but probably not (rankings) points at
the moment because it’s very complicated.”
Fognini, the world
number 11 from Italy, said it would be “really tough” to play again this
season.
“You (Djokovic)
coming from Serbia where the confinement is finishing May 20, but in Spain it
will be June 25… it’s quite difficult to pretend to play tournaments
again,” he said.
Fognini, last year’s
Monte Carlo Masters champion, was also lukewarm on the idea of playing matches
without spectators.
“Can you imagine
one Grand Slam final without anybody?” said Fognini. “In my opinion it’s quite
difficult (playing behind closed doors) but I understand there’s a reason
behind that.”
